Steaming and pressing machine



Jan. 10, 1950 B. s. FORMAN 2,493,864

STEAMING AND PRESSING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG! BENJAMIN s. FORMAN IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Jan. 10, 1950 B. G. FORMAN STEAMING AND PRESSING MACHINE Filed July 23. 1947' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 laz BENJAMIN G. FORMAN IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Jan. 10, 1950 B. G. FORMAN STEAMING AND PRESSING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 23, 1947 f r 7 MD w 7. p M x o 9 N A M R O F 6 m M A J N E B INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 10, 1950 STEAMING AND PRESSING MACHINE Benjamin G. Forman, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Wilbe Research Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 23, 1947, Serial No. 762,875

4 Claims. (01. 22370) This invention relates to a steaming and press ing machine for steaming and pressing completed sweaters and the like by applying steam from the exterior of the cloth.

An object of this invention is to providean porting a shaft parallel with the .table and upon which a solid skeleton steaming and shaping frame may be mounted and swung forwardly towards the operator so as to take a position substantially in a right-angular relation with th table for mounting a garment thereon.

Another object of this inventionis' to secure a rearwardly extending control rod to the shaft and arranged so thatwhen the frame is in vertical position, the control rod is gripped by a spring" 7 v 20- carried by the bracket and maintains the upright position of the frame.

Another object of this invention is to provide a steaming and shaping frame having a centrally divided collar portion and separate feet portions, the frame being made of two symmetrical frame members, and to provide clamping means whereby the frame members may be moved to and from each other so as to vary the size of the frame and make it suitable for mounting garments of various sizes thereon;

With the above and other objects in view, theinvention will be hereinafter more particularly described, and the combination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompany-' ing drawings and pointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings,"-

wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:-

Figure l is a perspective view of the steaming and shaping frame and its pivotal mounting.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the steaming and shaping mechanism mounted on a steaming and pressing table, the frame lying flat upon the table.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 2, the frame being in vertical garment mounting position.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the steaming and shaping mechanism in operative garment mounting position.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a fragmentary por-' tlon of a modified adjustable frame.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

the numeral It indicates a steaming and pressing machine for steaming and pressing completed sweaters.

The machine I0 comprises a hollow steaming and pressing table II, a base 12 and an upright pedestal l3. Secured to the pedestal l3 below the table II is a bracket I 4 which terminates at its forward end in bifurcated arms 15 in which a shaft I6 is rotatably supported.

Secured to the shaft l6 are two socket arms l'l, each having a set screw it threaded therein. As best shown in Figure 1, the steaming and pressing frame 20 is formed of a single piece of relatively heavy wire or solid rod bent to provide a solid skeleton support of the proper shape for a garment being steamed. It is to be,

noted that while metal wire is the preferred material, that wire made of thermosetting plastic or other resilient material may be used for the frames and these are broadly included in the term wire as called heretofore.

The lower end of the steaming and shaping frame 20 terminates in two foot portions 2| which extend in right-angular relation with the body of the frame. The foot portions 2| are adapted to be received and clamped in laterally extending socket arms l1 secured to the shaft IS. The wire is made of a material that will not rust, such as aluminum. I may however provide a rust resisting covering from the frame when material is employed therefor which is not rust resistant.

Secured to the shaft l6, rearwardly thereof is a control rod 23. Secured to the bracket I4 is a horizontally positioned arm 24 carrying a ble and serve to receive the extension feet 2| of Figures 2, to 4 inclusive show a modified solid skeleton frame 20 shaped to produce fashioned sweaters 22. The frame 20' has a self centering collar portion 25' at the middle of the upper or.

shoulder section. The portion 25 is split or divided at itsmid portion 26. A collar 21 is slidably mounted on the collar portion 25' and has screws 28 for locking the collar to the end portions of the wire. The modified frame is thus expandible in width at the collar portion and at the foot portions 2| to take care of garments of various sizes.

The steam. table -l-l is ..hollow.. The-table has. small aperturesr30: throughout its'upper surface. Steam is supplied to a steam chamber 3| in the table by a pipe 32 from any suitable supply.

A valve 33 in the pipe line 32 has a lever 34, A

tension spring 35 suitably attached tothe-leverfl' maintains the valve 33 in closed position. A. red. 35 is connected to the free end-of the-lever'3diat its upper end and to the free end of the treadle 36 at its lower end. H v 7 By depressing the treadle 36;theoperatorsupplies steam to the table II and to a garment placed thereon. 1

A. pressing. member 38' is .pivotally mounted at. 39 to the table H. A;.co.unterweightv 40 main tains the pressing member in angular. relation. rearwards of. the tableandout of the. way ofthe arcuatepath of. the steaming and'shapingframeh The operator grasps a handle M on the press? ing member. 38' when pressing. a garment ontthe frameand lying flat. on the table ll. A-handle 42 fi'xed'at one endofthe. shaft i6 serves for operating. the. steaming. and shaping frame- E'igure 5 shows a fragmentary: portion. of a; modified. adjustable solid skeleton. frame 45. com-. prising shoulder portions '46 and anintegral .co1 larportion, 411;. Each endofthe shoulder portion. has aninternal.threadextending.to the collar. portion 411 The threads 4.81.49 run inopposite directions.

"The frame 45 comprises. two. upright portions. 51 having horizontal. extensions 52, .53.. The extensions are threaded to coactwith thethreads- 48, 49.

The adjustable frame 45' may be adjusted widthwise toadesired size by. turning till-31601131 portion. Turningthe collar portion 41in one. direction causes extension .in. the. width. of the. frame 45, .while. turning, in. the oppositev direction. causes narrowing. of. the frame 45.

Itisthuspossible to adjustthe frame 45. at the shoulder. portion anda-t the foot portions so as .to. makeone framedo the work which formerlyrequireda large number. of frames.

As shown in the drawings it is seen that by actuating the handle 42, the skeleton frame. 2-0, 20? or 45. may. bera-isedinconsiderably. spaced-. apart. relation from andabove the steam. heated table or source of heat, to a pointwhene the air is all around the tubular fabric. It is obvious that. the removal of the fabric from the sourceofheatwhile retained instretched condition on the skeleton frame will induce a. quick cooling action on thestretched cloth. I V I In accordance,v with. the patent statutes Ihave described. and illustrated the preferred. embodi-- merit, of .my invention, but. it willbe. understood that various changes andmodifications can be made therein. without departing fromv the spirit of the invention. as defined by the. appended claims. a

1. In a steaming and pressing machine. for knitted. garments, said machine being adapted for. applying steam. from the exterior of. the clhth,.a t'ablfe',.a steaming and shaping frame piv otally mounted below-thelower surface of vsaid table, comprising a bracket securedbelowthe;

lower surface of said table, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bracket and parallel with said table, socket arms secured to said shaft, a substantially rectangular solid skeleton frame detachably secured to said shaft and extending above said table, the lower end of said frame having feet positioned in right angular relation theretoand being. clamped in said socket arms, whereby said frame may. be swung about said shaft forwardly into a position substantially in right-angular relation with said table for mounting a garment thereon, said frame being also movable to-lie fiat in garment steaming position upon said table.

2;.I-n. a steaming and pressing machine for iknittedgarments, said machine being adapted for applying. steam from the exterior of the cloth, a table, a steaming and shaping frame pivotally mounted below the lower surface of said table, comprising a bracket secured below the lower surface of "said. table,. a shaftmotatably mounted in saidbracket and. parallel with said table, socket arms-secured to saidshaft, a. substantially rec-.

tangular solid skeletonframe detachably. secured' tosaidshaftandextending. above said table, the

lower end. of said. frame having feet positioned. in. right angular. relation thereto and being clamped in said socket. arms, whereby said. frame may be swung about said shaft forwardly into a position. substantially.- in right-angular relation withsaid tablefor. mounting a garment thereon,

said. frame beingalsomovable to lie flat ingar-- ment steaming position upon said table, said framerhaving a. collar extension intermediate the.

shoulder section for. quickly aligning a garment on said frame.

3. In. a steaming and pressing machine for knittedgarments, said machine being adapted for applying steam. from the exterior of the cloth,

.a. table, a steaming and shaping frame pivotally mounted below the lower surface of said tabla.

comprising.- a bracket. secured belowthe lower surface of said table, ashaft-rotatably mountedin Saidbracketand. par-allelwith said table; socketarms. secured to said-shaft, a substantially rectangularsolid skeleton frame: detachably secured fiat in garment steaming position. upon; said table,

said'framehavingja centrally d-ivided-collar-extensionfintermediate the shoulder section and clamping means on said collar extension for adjusting said collar extension for mounting garmentsof various. sizes on said frame.

4. In. a. steaming and pressing machine forknittedgarments; .saidtmachine being adapted for applying steam from the exterior of, the cloth, a' table; a steaming and shaping frame pivotally mounted below the lower surface of said table,- comprising a bracket secured below the lower surface of said table, a shaft rotatably mounted" in said bracket and parallel with;.said table, socket arms secured to said shaft, a substantially rectangularv solid: skeletonfram'e detachably secured. to said shaft and extending above said table, the:

lower end of said frame having; feet positioned in right angular relation thereto and being clamped in; said sooketarms; said. feet being adjustable: to

and from each other, whereby said frame may be REFERENCES CITED swung about said shaft forwardly into a pos1- I tion substantially in right-angular relation with The followm efe ences are of record in the said table for mounting a garment thereon, said file of s p nt frame being also movable to lie flat in garment 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS steaming position upon said table, said frame having a collar extension intermediate the shoul- Number Name Date der section, and means on said collar extension 1,763,761 COX June 17, 1930 1,817,590 Simon Aug. 4, 1931 for adjusting the shoulder or upper portion of said frame jointly with the adjustment of said 10 2,067,353 obelwettel 1937 feet or lower portion of said frame for mounting FOREIGN PATENTS garments of various sizes on said frame.

Number Country Date BENJAMIN FORMAN- 283,422 Great Britain Jan. 12, 1928 

